Orlando is objectively a queer friendly city, but they don’t have any pride events in June.
There’s an unofficial event each June called “Disney World Gay Days” (not affiliated with Disney themselves, who just treat it like any other summer day), so Orlando moved their pride celebration to October instead. I think it’s understandable, but it always sucks to feel left out from the rest of the queer community.
I’ve actually have never been to Pride, since other things tend to conflict, and social anxiety in general. This year, I will definitely participate (motivated by the phrase: “Pride is a Protest”). I’ve been “openly queer” for the last 5ish years, but I haven’t been “openly trans”, but I’m taking steps to own that identity, at least more openly. Perhaps people can clock me as trans, but no one ever says anything, so i think I might currently qualify as “stealth”, but I feel like I don’t pass. Just in that weird superposition.
I have at least one symbolic gesture I want to make this June. I play Women’s Flat Track Roller Derby, and I want to fly the trans flag during my player intro. It’s a very small thing to do, but trans athletics has been under attack, so I feel like choosing to be a visible trans athlete is something i need to do
I’m a derby skater as well, and the only trans athlete I know is a FTM transman who beat out two dozen dudes to make the Team USA Mens team. I’m glad our sport is generally welcoming to a diverse group of people.
I love the idea of flying a trans flag during your intro.
I’m glad our sport is generally welcoming to a diverse group of people.
I know this intellectually, but it’s so difficult for me to internalize that “WFTDA unconditionally welcomes trans skaters”. I’ve just felt like a second-class citizen for most of my derby career, as if “being too good” (i do a lot of cross training to improve my strength and agility, so people on the outside could easily blame me being a strong player on “natural advantages from male puberty”) could push me out of the sport that I’ve pour so much of myself into.
Over time, my league has grown, and we now have five (!) trans femme or nonbinary skaters. Seeing them being accepted (including a non-medically-transitioning AMAB enby) has really helped my recent mental state related to this
Orlando is objectively a queer friendly city, but they don’t have any pride events in June.
There’s an unofficial event each June called “Disney World Gay Days” (not affiliated with Disney themselves, who just treat it like any other summer day), so Orlando moved their pride celebration to October instead. I think it’s understandable, but it always sucks to feel left out from the rest of the queer community.
I’ve actually have never been to Pride, since other things tend to conflict, and social anxiety in general. This year, I will definitely participate (motivated by the phrase: “Pride is a Protest”). I’ve been “openly queer” for the last 5ish years, but I haven’t been “openly trans”, but I’m taking steps to own that identity, at least more openly. Perhaps people can clock me as trans, but no one ever says anything, so i think I might currently qualify as “stealth”, but I feel like I don’t pass. Just in that weird superposition.
I have at least one symbolic gesture I want to make this June. I play Women’s Flat Track Roller Derby, and I want to fly the trans flag during my player intro. It’s a very small thing to do, but trans athletics has been under attack, so I feel like choosing to be a visible trans athlete is something i need to do
I’m a derby skater as well, and the only trans athlete I know is a FTM transman who beat out two dozen dudes to make the Team USA Mens team. I’m glad our sport is generally welcoming to a diverse group of people.
I love the idea of flying a trans flag during your intro.
I know this intellectually, but it’s so difficult for me to internalize that “WFTDA unconditionally welcomes trans skaters”. I’ve just felt like a second-class citizen for most of my derby career, as if “being too good” (i do a lot of cross training to improve my strength and agility, so people on the outside could easily blame me being a strong player on “natural advantages from male puberty”) could push me out of the sport that I’ve pour so much of myself into.
Over time, my league has grown, and we now have five (!) trans femme or nonbinary skaters. Seeing them being accepted (including a non-medically-transitioning AMAB enby) has really helped my recent mental state related to this